1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and more particularly to a quick unlocking optical fiber plug connector that is engaged stably with a corresponding receptacle connector through a lock. Pulling a pull lever on the quick unlocking optical fiber plug connector quickly disengages the quick unlocking optical fiber plug connector from the corresponding receptacle connector. Furthermore, the pull lever is connected firmly to the lock and is not separated there-from inadvertently.
2. Description of Related Art
Compared to conventional electrical connectors, optical fiber connectors transmit signals by optical fibers and have comparatively high signal transmission rates. Thus, the optical fiber connectors may be adapted for high end computer servers designed to provide large dataflow processing service.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,221,007 discloses an optical fiber plug connector with a lock. A first embodiment of the optical fiber plug connector has a casing, a locking arm, a connecting tab, a movable collar and a clamp. The locking arm is formed on the casing and has two opposite locking shoulders formed on the locking arms. The connecting tab is formed on and protrudes rearward from the locking arm. The movable collar is mounted slidably around the casing and is connected to the connecting tab. The clamp is mounted around the movable collar. Moving the movable collar backward pulls and pivots down the locking arm such that the optical fiber plug connector may be unlocked and detached from a corresponding receptacle connector. A second embodiment disclosed in the aforementioned patent is implemented without the connecting tab and instead has a clip formed on the movable collar and having a clipping hole defined through the clip and receiving the locking arm. Moving the movable collar backward pulls and pivots down the locking arm to unlock the optical fiber plug connector. A third embodiment of the optical fiber plug connector is similar to the second embodiment. However, the movable collar and the clamp are too short to be held and manipulated. Furthermore, the locking arm and the clip are loosely hooked together and are easily inadvertently disengaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,465,317 discloses another optical fiber plug connector having several embodiments. One of the embodiments has a casing, a locking arm, a release member and an extender. The locking arm protrudes upward from and is pivotable relative to the casing. The release member is mounted slidably around the casing and hooks on two opposite sides of the locking arm. The extender is connected to a rear end of the release member. Pulling the extender backward pivots down the locking arm and unlocks the optical fiber plug connector. However, the release member merely hooks on the opposite sides of the locking arm without a stable and secure connecting mechanism. Therefore, inadvertent disengagement is easily incurred between the release arm and the locking arm. The rest of the embodiments omit the release member and directly attach a front end of the extender to the locking arm. However, none of those embodiments has a stable and secure connecting mechanism between the extender and the locking arm.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a quick unlocking optical fiber plug connector to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.